Nothing Left to Guard

Doris's floating hair fell back down, the waves gradually calmed, and the imposing aura she gave off receded.

Orion and Artemis both breathed sighs of relief.

"You've been asleep for so long. Is there anything you want to do now?" Artemis looked curiously at the calmed-down Doris.

Doris lowered her head and thought for a moment, then suddenly remembered something. "Ah, there really is something I forgot to do."

With that, she bent down, picked up a stone, and threw it into the sea.

Artemis and Orion:

"That's not what I meant," Artemis said with an awkward laugh, waving her hand. "I mean, now that you've finally awakened, isn't there anything else you want to do? Like going out for a stroll or something?"

"Yeah, it'd be a shame to have slept for tens of thousands of years without seeing the scenery outside." Orion spoke as he waved his little stick around.

Doris shook her head. "There's nothing else I want to do. All I need to do is protect this—"

Suddenly, she whipped her head around.

Her gaze dimmed.

"There's nothing left that needs my protection."

The ruined walls of what had once been the homes of Doris Island's residents had decayed to the point where even a light breeze might bring them down. Even the traces that humans had once lived here were nearly gone.

After glancing back at Artemis and Orion, who stood quietly and somewhat abruptly beside her, Doris let out a long sigh.

"I don't want to leave this island, but I can more or less understand the current situation." Doris returned to the beach and sat down. "This Singularity that has swept my island into it is filled everywhere with strange magical energy. I can sense that two currents of magical energy are clashing